Sydney smoke to clear, air quality to lift

Sydneysiders may wake up to smoky haze again from hazard reduction burns but it's expected to clear throughout the day with air quality forecast to be "fair".

Source: AAP

Sydney's air quality is expected to improve as smoke from hazard reduction burns begins to clear.

Thick smoke engulfed much of the city on Monday after the NSW Rural Fire Service conducted hazard reduction burns at Sutherland, Wollondilly and Hawkesbury over the weekend.

Air quality dropped to "hazardous" in Sydney's southwest, east and northwest on Monday morning.

While smoke will remain over Sydney on Tuesday, it's expected to clear by mid-to-late morning and move south towards the Southern Highlands and Goulburn.

Sydney's air quality is forecast to be "fair" on Tuesday.

Fire crews are taking advantage of the favourable conditions with warmer days and cooler nights and are planning more hazard reduction burns later in the week.